In my previous piece I mentioned the difference between cruising several countries in a week, and actually walking past the docks into the city you’re supposed to be visiting. I’ve never been on a cruise, so I suppose you have to consider my opinion as biased. But the reality is, there is a stark difference between sipping a drink in a bar with a giant boat still in sight, and trying to order a drink in a bar where the majority of communication is pointing and nodding. The contrast between the trips isn’t financial, it costs about the same to fly to Europe and stay in a hotel for a week as it does to reserve a room on Carnival. The real distinction is in the immersion.

Continue reading at National Road Magazine.